Warm shades of pumpkin and rust add interest to plaids and crochet and a pop of color to activewear knits.

From petal to dusty rose and mauve, pink is a perennial favorite for ditsy florals and larger blooms, intricate laces and fancy novelty constructions, but the soft shade works for athletic mesh and flannel plaids as well.

Knitwear designers and manufacturers looking for insight and inspiration have a new destination in the Los Angeles Fashion District with the recent opening of a permanent showroom and design center for Japanese knitting machine and software maker Shima Seiki at the California Market Center.

Performance characteristics such as moisture management, water repellency and odor control are familiar territory for consumers of activewear while enhanced performance features are relatively new for casual apparel and ready-to-wear.

Location is only one of the changes planned for Kingpins; the show will also shift its dates from its traditional January/July schedule to a November/May schedule beginning with its Nov. 3–4 show at Pier 36 NYC (Basketball City) in Manhattan.

Two years ago at Texworld USA in New York, Los Angeles knitting mill SG Knits met with a potential customer. The two companies stayed in touch, and two years later the potential customer has become an actual one.